Everything You Need To Know About HX Expeditions' Citizen Science Programme
Whilst anyone would agree that there is certainly a time and a place for sun-drenched beach getaways or lively city breaks, an expedition cruise is simply not that kind of trip. It’s a highly immersive educational experience, one designed to inspire, to leave a lasting positive impact, to deepen your understanding of this planet we call home. Yes, an expedition cruise can take you closer to wildlife, landscapes, communities and cultures than you ever thought possible—but that’s only half the story.
The other half is using this unparalleled access to gather data and conduct the research that helps HX Expeditions' scientific partners learn more about these regions and preserve them for future generations.
Welcome to the Citizen Science programme.
Now, if you’re thinking, ‘Hang on, I’m not sure I’m qualified for that,’ there’s no need to fret. As cruising evolves, travellers become more adventurous and technology advances, scientific discovery is no longer reserved for teams of lab-coat clad researchers. Instead, ordinary people can make a contribution—and HX know this better than anyone. Their Citizen Science programme was an obvious move, given that their purpose-designed expedition ships are small enough to navigate the most remote corners of the globe, traversing oceans home to over 90% of all known wildlife.
Travelling to some of the most enigmatic and biodiverse destinations on earth, including Alaska, Antarctica, the Arctic and the Galápagos, it’s not surprising that so many HX Expeditions passengers have become Citizen Scientists, with at least two projects per voyage. Past projects include tracking the migration patterns and breeding behaviour of penguins, whales and leopard seals, using Secchi disks to study the concentration of seaweed and phytoplankton around South Georgia and tracking celestial events and weather phenomena for NASA. All this data helps experts probe into the effects of climate change and invasive species, keeping pace with our rapidly changing world.
“It’s been almost 130 years since HX pioneered expedition cruising. With this history, we have a profound responsibility to safeguard the places we explore,” said HX Chief Scientist Dr Meraldi. “Beyond minimising our footprint, it is our duty to leave these places better than we found them.”
The best part is that you don’t need to lug any unwieldy scientific equipment around on the daily excursions. Oftentimes, a mobile phone is all that’s required to input data on wildlife apps like eBird, Happywhale and Zooniverse, providing media and sighting logs for millions of users worldwide. There are also opportunities to contribute to biodiversity dossiers like iNaturalist or to take notes on weather and sky patterns with Globe Cloud Observer, making observations that even satellites cannot.
“Academics and PhD students use HX Expeditions as a logistical platform, so scientists and researchers are always at work on our ships,” said Niek van Eck, HX Product Manager. “We’ve had a cutting-edge scientist onboard who is mapping the Antarctic seabed using underwater drones. Another we had was an academic studying Antarctica in literature and poetry. These are exciting projects for guests to feel part of.”
Of course, there are times when something a little higher spec is in order. That’s where the Science Centre comes in. On an HX expedition, it’s not a restaurant, spa or pool that forms the beating heart of the ship, but this all-in-one laboratory, lecture theatre and library. Here, you can pool your data, conduct experiments using state-of-the-art equipment and attend expert-led talks, all of it furthering your knowledge about the places you’re visiting and the organisms that live there. The Science Centre is truly the central pillar of the Citizen Science programme.
So, if you’ve ever harboured secret fantasies of grabbing your binoculars and indulging your inner David Attenborough or Charles Darwin, you’re in luck.
You can find out more about HX Expeditions here.
